Phonograph record changer



G. H. LEONARD PHONOGRAPH RECORD CHANGER Nov. 4, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 14, 1947 r 3 6 z 7 7W3 Nov. 4, 1952 e. H. LEONARD PHONOGRAPH RECORD CHANGER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 14, 1947 ATTOENE YS Nov. 4, 1952 e. H. LEONARD PHONOGRAPH RECORD CHANGER 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 14, 1947 Leonard WM 76%"! ATTOENE v5 Nov. 4, 1952 G. H. LEONARD,

PHONOGRAPH RECORD CHANGER 5 Sheetg-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 14, 194'? I J I l I l I 1 I u I INVENTOR. ea/ qe HamZm Lea/10rd ATTORNE Y5 Patented Nov. 4, 1952 PHONOGRAPH RECORD CHANGER George Hamlin Leonard, Darien, Conn., assignor to Arthur A. Johnson, Bridgeport, Conn, as

trustee Application October 14, 1947, Serial No. 779,735

7 Claims.

1 This invention relates to automatic recordchanger-and-player units for phonographs, such units being commonly termed record changers. The invention concerns'improvements in the record changer described and claimed in my prior copending patent application, Serial No. 702,905,

filed October 1-2, 1946.

The record changer of this prior patent application is of the type wherein a stack of records is supported above the turntable of the phonograph solely by means carried by a spindle projecting above the turntable, said means including arms- An object of the present invention is to provide means, in a record changer of the above type, whereby the record-supporting arms of the spindle are automatically retracted to position within the spindle at the termination of a playing period, thereby making unnecessary the extra, manual operation heretofore required in order to remove the played-through record or stack of records from the spindle.

In my prior record changer it was possible for a person-by actuating at an improper time the said manually operable means for retracting the record-supporting arms, to suddenly let fall on the turntable a full stack of records supported by the arms above the turntable, causin inconveni ence and requiring repositioning of the stack.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved record changer of the'type mentioned, wherein manually operable means for dropping or retracting the record-supporting arms are omitted and are not necessary, so that it is impossible to drop, all at once, a stack of records from the arms to the turntable.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a record changer of the above type, having manually operable means for dropping 01'' retracting the record-supporting arms, the said means being so organized and arranged however that a stack of records supported on thearms cannot be dropped all at once to the turntable.

In the record changer of my prior application, due to the provision of a uni-directional clutch drive in the trip mechanism by which a change or shut-ofi cycle was initiated, if the turntable during adjustment or repair were to be inadvert- 5,

2. ently manually turned in a reverse dire'ctionwhen the parts of the'c'h-anger were part way through a change cycle, there was a likelihood of the trip mechanism becoming damaged and being rendered inoperative.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved trip mechanism for arecord changer of'theabovetype, which mechanism is so organized that regardless of whether or not the parts of the record changer are in or part way through a change cycle, the turntable may be manually turned in either direction without causing damageto or inoperativeness of theparts. I

In my prior record changer the trip mechanism by which a change or shut-01f cycle was automatically initiated responded to movement of the tone arm which was the reverse from the playing movement, such reverse movement being effected by an eccentric groove at the center of the record. Where a record did not have an eccentric groove, but instead had a plain spiral groove of large pitch (which is also common), the trip mechanism would not be operated, and therefore such records could not be included in astack and automatically changed.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide, for a record changer of the type mentioned, an improved trip'mechanismwhich is operated by records having either an eccentric groove or a plain spiral groove, thereby enabling either type of record to be'used in a stack which is to be played through automatically; This is accomplished by a novel velocity responsive organization which is actuated when the speed of forward or' inward movement of the tone arm is increased by virtue of the tone arm leaving the small-pitch playing grooves of a record and entering either the eccentric groove orthe largepitch spiral groove thereof, whichever the record is provided with.

A feature of the improved trip mechanism of the present invention is the elimination of critical adjustments.

A further feature of the improved tripmechanism of this invention is its sensitivity and reliable response even though the needle pressure on'the record is extremely light.

7 In my prior record changer a spring-charged ieeler was provided, which was engaged and actuated by the edge of a 12 record when the latter dropped from the supporting arms of the spindle to the turntable. During such action the record would be tilted out of the horizontal and strike flat against the" turntable.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved feeler means for a record changer of the above type, which means requires only an extremely small force to actuate it, and which means is so organized that it does not tilt or deflect the record engaging it, nor interfere with the free fall of the record from the supporting arms to the turntable.

A feature of the said improved feeler means of the invention resides in the organization whereby relatively great variations in the diameter of 12" records are permissible without adversely affecting the intended operation of said means nor the control of the tone-arm thereby.

Still other objects of the invention are to generally improve the structure, operation and ease of fabrication of my prior, above-referred-to record changer, and to reduce the noise thereof and the effects of wear.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear;

. In the accompanying drawings;

Figure 1 is a top or plan view of the improved record changer of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical axial section taken through the spindle of the record changer, and showing in elevation the actuating cams for the recordsupport arms of the spindle, the various parts being in the positions they occupy prior to initiation of a change cycle.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view like Fig. 2 but showing the parts in the positions they occupy at the middle of a record-change cycle.

Fig. 5 is a view like Figs. 2 and 4 but showing the parts in the positions they occupy at the midclle of a shut-off cycle.

Fig. 6 is a transverse or horizontal section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a plan view of the parts of the record changer located below the turntable and tonearm, a portion of the top or cover panel for the parts being broken away to reveal the parts.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view showing the r parts of the trip mechanism which are located under the drive wheel for the record change and shut-off mechanisms.

Fig. 9 is a view like Fig. 8 but with the starter segment of the trip mechanism removed and shown in dot-and-dash outline, and further showing in dot-and-dash outline a shifted position of the arcuate eccentric follower which either shifts or checks the starter segment.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary section taken on line Hli9 of Fig. 7, showing one of the driving pins carried by the starter plate and engageable with the eccentric follower and rubber-tired drive wheel.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary vertical section through the main spindle and spindle of the drive wheel for the record change and shut-off mechanisms, taken on line I I| I of Fig. 7.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary vertical section through the post or tower for the tone-arm.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary plan view of the parts located below the tower for the tone-arm, taken on line I 3l3 of Fig. 12, the parts being shown in the positions they occupy when the record changer is shut off.

Fig. 14 is a view like Fig. 13 but with the parts in the positions they occupy at the time the playing of a record is started.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary plan view of the rea portion of the tone-arm and the tower for the tone-arm, the feeler for 12 records being shown by broken lines in its operative position for engaging the edge portion of a 12" record, and a 10" and 12" records being indicated by dot-anddash lines.

Fig. 16 is a side elevational view of the tonearm tower and 12" record feeler carried thereby, the tone-arm being in lowered position.

Fig. 17 is a view like Fig. 16 but with the tonearm in raised position, the cam for raising the tone-arm being also shown.

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary elevational view of the switch mechanism of the record changer, taken on the line IQ of Fig. 16.

Fig. 19 is an elevational view of the shut-off slide of the mechanism, which is responsive to conditions where the record-supporting arms either carry or do not carry a record, the said slide being shown in inoperative or retracted position, and the operative or extended position whereby shut-01f is accomplished being shown in dot-and-dash lines.

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary vertical axial sectional view of a main or record-supporting spindle illustrating a modification of the invention.

Fig. 21 is a perspective view of an alternative form of cam mechanism for actuating the recordsupporting arms of the main spindle.

Fig. 22 is a vertical sectional view of the mechanism of Fig. 21.

Fig. 23 is a fragmentary perspective view of actuating fingers and cooperable rods of the mechanism of Figs. 21 and 22, in the relative positions they occupy at the middle of the record change cycle.

Fig. 24 is a view like Fig. 23 but with the parts in the relative positions they occupy at the middle of the shut-off cycle, and

Fig. 25 is an elevational View of a shut-off lever for use with the mechanism of Figs. 21 and 22.

ihe structure and operation of the improved record changer of this invention is in many respects similar to that of the record changer described in detail in my prior copending application above referred to, and accordingly in this application detailed description will be limited to those parts or combinations of parts and functions which are new over the prior disclosure; where a general description only of parts and functions is given herein, reference may be had to the prior ccpending application for a more complete understanding.

Referring to Fig. l, the present improved rec- 0rd changer may comprise a, frame 3% on which is mounted a top or cover panel 3|, and above which latter are disposed a turntable 32, tonearm 33 for traversing the turntable, and an arm supporting post or tower 34. At one corner of the panel 35 a manually operable member in the form of a pivotally movable starter button or knob 35 is provided. Through the turntable 32 a stationary spindle 36 projects upwardly, the said spindle being the sole means of support of a stack of records to be played through, and having intermediate its ends a plurality of pivoted record-support projections or arms 37, Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 6, which are nestable in the spindle, the spindle also having an expandable record-grippin collar 33.

Referring to Figs. '7, 11 and 12, a base plate 39 is secured below the top panel 35 in spaced relation thereto, all of the mechanism or" the record changer with the exception of the starter knob 35 being mounted on the said plate.

5. f In' th'erecord changer of1this inventionand-zof my copending :patent application, a stack of records to be played, comprising .10 records :or :12 recordsor both, :is-placed ion the spindle extending above the turntable :to be .solely sup-ported thereby, and the starting iknob actuated whereupon the record support arms and expandable collanonthe spindle, and the tone arm :oftthe recrd changer are all automatically .operated in such a way that the records are dropped rone 'by one on the turntable and played through, the record changer automatically shuttin :off :after the last record has been playe'd.

According to the present invention, means are provided whereby, just :prior Ito shut-off of the mechanism' the :record support arms 3'! are automatically retracted, that i-is,'ilowered and .nested within the spindle 3 3 so :thatthe stack of playedthrough records :may be readily and quicklyaremoved from the spindle by "just lifting themoii, without requiring an extra-manual operation to first-retract-the record-support arms. Also, manuallyoperable means are provided for raising or extending the record support arms, the said means being arranged so that manual oper-ation to drop the arms is impossible without dismantling the parts, and'there'fore there is prevented inadvertent dropping of a dull stack of records from the arms to the turntable at any time.

The spindle structure and actuating means thereforeby which this is accomplished is shown in'part in Figs.'2 through '6. "The spindle 36' comprises a tubular stem 40 pressed into a headed spindle-support bushing 4| secured by a nut 42 to the base plate 39. Slidable in the stem 48 is an' armcarrier-"M the upper end of which piv otallymounts-the armsdd by means of pivot pins 31a, Fig. '6. The upper portionof the stem 40 is of reduced-diameter, and on the shoulder formed by :said reduction the expandable collar 3 8, made of rubber, is seated. -Above the collar38 a sleeve '44 is slidable on the reduced-portionbf the stem, movement-of the sleeve being limited by-a crosspin 55 passing through the sleeve and through longitudinal slots in the stem. A compression spring lfi-enga ges the pin lii'and engages aninturned flange'at the top of the stemflfl, and a slidable support-arm control pin #1 passes through the spring '46, pm $5, through a slotted friction collar 48 and terminates -in a -taper engageable with the inner ends *of the arms 31. -When the arm carrier is in-the-raisedposition "-ShOWIliIl Fig. 2, the friction collared whichhas'beenlifted by the -arm *carrier is held between "the ;cross pin 45 '(which it has raised "against-the "force 'of the spring '46) and the top of the arm carrier, "and raising of the control pin t? against-the friction of the collar 48 allows the arms 3! 'todrop; also, lowering of "the pin it! through the collar 8 raises the arms.

By this invention a -manually operable "cap 39 is provided, slidable on the sleeve 44 and 'at its top engageable Withthepin 41. The cap d has a'lanced nib --5fl extending into a slot 5i in-the sleeve '4 !wherebymovementoi the cap -is limited, and whereby its removal from the sleeve is prevented.

lAccordingto-this organization it is impossible to manually release or-drop the arms 3? and any recordsearried thereby, since raising of the cap 49 doesnot raise the pin :45! and thelattertherefore will continue to vlock the arms insextended position. Thearmssl when in retracted or nested position, however, 1 may be extended :by .press- .ing down .on :the :cap .49, thereby pushing the pin .411 .down, provided "the arm carrier {43 is in the raisedpositionrof Fig.2.

The arm :carrier:,4.3 isialways at:its :raised position :when "the rrecnrd changer is not "passing through a record-change jcycle, :reject cycle or .a shut-off :cyole, :andxthereiore atithe :time that the arms .35! are-retracted and the machine is empty, it:is;mere'ly'necessaryjn order .to placesastackrof records ;on:'the spindle, topress the cap .4 9 down bylhand, :oausing the arms 31 to beextended to their locked, record-supporting position. Or, iii desired, .the .stack of .records may be held :in the hands and gently restedbn the cap '49,'whereby the weight of the stack will depress the cap and extend :the arms 31.. The stack may thenlbe centralized over the "spindle and "lowered So :as: to rest on the arms, the .spindle projecting up throughtthe openings of the records.

fTheweight of the'arm carrier43 alone or with a. supported record will tend to continually push it downward, thereby making it gravity-eontrolled. Actuation of the arm carrier "43 isaccomplished by an arm-carrier cam in the form :of a plate 52 having a camming edgeEZa engageable with a large-diameter portion 53 of a stepped roller 54 carried .by :a shaft '55 'at-the lower-en'd of the barrier 43, the-roller '54 having a smalldiameter .portion :56 engageable with a laterally offset cam-shook portion 51 located at one end of "the camming edget52a.

'lIlhe arm-carrier cam :52 is pivotally carried-by azpivotstud 58 mounted on a depending portion 59 of a cam bracket '60, said bracket having a base ;portion6l secured to the base plate 39 by the'spindle support bushing 4i. The-arm carrier cam7.5.2.is operatedby a link-rod 62 duringarecord-ehangeor shut-off cycleof the record-changer, operation'being-efiected by means described hereinafter. 'At'thebeginningand end of-such cycles the cam'52 occupies the starting position shown :in :Fig. '2; at the middle .of such cycles the .cam occupies the positions shown in Figs. "4 and :5, the cam pivotally moving from theFig. 2 position in a counterclockwise direction to the positions of Figs. 4 and 5, and returning clockwiseto thestarting position. Between consecutive :OYCIBS 'and at the beginnings and ends of cycles, the cam '52 maintains the. arm-carrier in the raised position of Fig. 12; at the middle of the cycles the arm carrier 4 3,under the action of.gravity, may-occupy either of the two'lowere'd positions shown in Figs. 41 and 5 depending :on whether the arms 33"! carry or do not carry a. record respectively, this being brought out in detail later.

.In order-to effect selective automatic actuation 'ofthe'record supportarms 3? in response-ftothe movementso'f :thearm carrier 4'3 and in response toithe presenceorabsence of a record'on'the-arms, the arm carrier is provided with a longitudinal slot53, Fig. '3,.and:a fiat push rod 64 -is located inztheslot, the'upper end of-the :push rod being swaged .to provide a lateral extension or finger 6.5 which is engageable with the bottom tapered endofthearmeontrol pin 41. The lower end of the push redid-4 is engageablewith acamming edge fi'fiof a push-rod cam 61 in'the formof a flat, generally triangularplate having a bearing slot- 68 at its lower end, the said slot receiving thepivot studl58. The push-rod came! is connected by a very weak extension spring 451a to the base plate L39; the springtla is not strong enough to support the weight of the cam"-6=1,"but has sufiicient pull tonormally maintainthe cam in a pivotal position shifted-tothezright as shown in Fig. 2. The upper edge portion of the push rod cam 67 extends into a slot 69 in the lower end of the arm carrier 43, and the cam has an elongate aperture 10 in its upper portion, through which the shaft 55 of the stepped roller 54 extends. The shaft 55 also extends through a vertical clearance slot N, Fig. 3, in the bracket 68, and extends through a cam slot 12 in a sensing and shut-off slide 13, Figs. 3 and 19, the slide being in the form of a flat elongate strip slidably carried between the main portion of the bracket 58 and a pair of slide arms 14 formed on the bracket. An extension spring 75 continually urges the slide 13 to the left to retracted position as viewed in Fig. 19, and normally, when the record changer is not passing through a change cycle, the shaft 55 is adjacent the top of the cam slot 72.

In Fig. 2 records l8, l1 and 18 comprising a stack to be played through are supported on the arms 37. The expandable rubber collar 38 is in its normal contracted condition due to the raised arm carrier 43 and friction collar 48 which rests thereon holding the cross pin 45 and sleeve 44 raised, said arm carrier thus taking the pressure of the compression spring 46 which continually urges the sleeve 44 downward. When the cam 52 moves counterclockwise from its starting position, the contour of the camming edge 52 thereof will allow the arm carrier 43 and stack of records on the arms 3'! to move downward under the force of gravity and of the spring 46. At first, the arm control pin 4'7, friction collar 48, sleeve 44, cross pin 45 and cap 48 will all move downward simultaneously with the arm carrier 43, due to the action of the spring 46 in expanding, and this simultaneous movement, with the exception of the records ii and 18, will continue until the cross pin 45 approaches the bottom ends of the slots in the upper or reduced portion of the stem 48. If no records were on the spindle 36, the cross pin would engage the bottom ends of the slots, and such engagement is shown in Fig. 4; also shown in this figure is the expansion of the rubber collar 38 caused by the spring 4'8 forcing the sleeve 44 toward the shoulder of the stem 48. When the spindle 36 carries records, the expansion of the collar 38 causes it to grip the second-from-bottom record 11, and the collar 38 thereafter supports the records 11 and 18 until it again contracts at the termination of the cycle; the gripping of a record by the collar 38 prevents the cross pin 45 from bottoming in the slots of the stem 48. After support of the records 17 and 18 by the collar 38, continued movement of the cam 52 results in the arm carrier 43 and record 15 carried by the arms 3'! continuing to be controllably lowered, utilizing the action of gravity on the record and arm carrier. The weight of the carrier 43 and record T is sufiicient, regardless of whether the record diameter is or 12", to cause the roller shaft 55 to descend in the cam slot 12 of the slide i3, and to shift the slide from the left position of Fig. 19 to the right position shown by the dot-and-dash outline, against the action of the spring 15. As the cam 52 reaches the position shown in Fig. 4, the roller 54 will have travelled along the camming edge 52a to the end thereof, and the small-diameter portion 56 of the roller will be engaged by the inside of the cam hook 57. During the first part of this counterclockwise movement of the cam 52 and lowering of the arm carrier 43, the cam 51 will drop down by its weight against the action of the extension spring 67a connected thereto. The

push rod 64 will follow the cam 61 and help to overcome any friction between the cam and its pivot 58 which might retard dropping of the cam. The cam 61 will drop until the inner end of the bearing slot 58 thereof engages the pivot stud 58, as in Fig. 4, and thereafter further descending movement of the arm carrier 43, occurring during the latter part of counterclockwise movement of the cam 52, will cause the roller shaft 55 to vertically traverse the aperture 15 in the cam 61, and to engage the lower edge thereof, also as shown in Fig. 4. During said further descending movement of the arm carrier 43, the push rod 64 will be prevented from travelling downward by its engagement with the cam 61, and therefore the upper end of the push rod will force the tapered lower end of the armcontrol pin 4'! out of engagement with the inner ends of the record-support arms 31, allowing the latter to drop by gravity into their retracted positions wherein they are nested in the spindle 36; upon this occurring the record 16 supported by the arms will drop under the force of gravity to the turntable 32, all as shown in Fig. 4 which depicts the placement of the parts at the middle of the record change cycle. It will be noted that, just prior to the termination of counterclockwise movement of the cam 52 the inside of the hook 51 thereof engages the small-diameter portion 56 of the roller 54, causing the arm-carrier 43 to be pulled down positively for the remainder of said movement, and such positive action insures that the push rod 64 disengage the arm-control pin 41 from the record-support arms.

As the change cycle is completed, the cam 52 returns clockwise to the position of Fig. 2, thereby again raising the arm-carrier 43. The friction of the collar 48 on the arm-control pin 41 holds the latter against shifting upward beyond the position of Fig. 2, and therefore the tapered lower end of the pin again engages the inner ends of the arms 31 and causes these to extend radially from the spindle 36. Subsequent to this extension of the arms 31 the rubber collar 38 is allowed to contract, thereby depositing the records H and 18 on the arms. The cam 52 has a lug engageable with the cam 61 to insure that the latter cam occupies its right-most pivotal position as in Fig. 2 when the cam 52 is in its starting position. This cycle of operations is repeated each time another record from the stack on the spindle 36 is to be played.

When the arms 31 no longer carry a record, the cycle occurring after the playing of the last record of the stack is a shut-off cycle, this being determined as follows: When the cam 52 moves counterclockwise, the absence of weight on the arms 3! will result in the arm carrier 43 not dropping, it being not heavy enough to drop by itself because of the friction and restraint created by the pressure of the shut-off slide 13 on the shaft 55, the spring 15 having its tension regulated to effect this. As the arm-carrier cam 52 completes its counterclockwise movement to the position of Fig. 5, the outer edge of the cam hook 57 will engage the small-diameter portion 56 of the stepped roller 54, thereby positively holding the armcarrier 48 against dropping. The cam 52 is provided with a lug 8! which is engageable with the right-hand side edge of the cam 67, Fig. 5, the said lug forcing the cam 61 to a left-most pivotal position as shown in this figure, and by so doing, the cam 67 is forced upward by virtue of engagement between the shaft 55 and an upper sloping edge of the aperture 78 of the cam. This results in the push rod 04' being raised against the friction of the frictionv collar 49, the rod movin and forcing the tapered end of the pin 4'! out of engagement with the inner ends of the recordsupport arms 31, dropping the arms, all as shown in Fig. 5. Upon the cam 52 returning clockwise to its starting position of Fig. 2, the spring 61a will pivotally move the cam 67' to the right to starting position from its Fig. 5 position, the push rod '04 again dropping and the arm carrier 43 remaining substantially stationary. By means to be described later, the record changer mechanism is now shut 01f, by virtue of the shut-off slide 13 not having been shifted from the position shown in Fig. 19.

To prevent pivotal shifting of the cam 61 during the middle of a record change cycle, as indicatedin Fig. 4, a clearance slot- 82 for the lug 8 is provided in the right hand side edge ofthe cam.

It will be notedthat in a-shut-off cycle, the arm carrier 43 does not drop and that the cam is pivotally moved to the left and raised, thereby forcing the push rod 58-, arm control pin 41" and cap 49 upward, the pin 01 moving through, and against the friction of, the collar 48. The pin 4-l and cap 49 are thereafter held in raised position'by thecollar 48 until again depressed in the manner already described in connection with placing a stack of records on the spindle 40. Since, as pointed out above, the record-support arms 63- are' automatically lowered during the shut-off cycle occurring aftera stack of records has been played through, the stack may be easily and quickly removed from the spindle 40 without requiring additional operations such as manually operating a part to lower the-record-support arms.

According to this invention an advantageous automatic control mechanism for the tone-arm 33 is provided.

Referring to Fig. 12, the post or tower 34 for the tone-arm 33' comprises a vertical bearing sleeve 83 rigidly secured to and extending upwardly from the base plate 39. Within the sleeve 83 an interior sleeve 84 isrotatably' carried, the upper end of which carries a bracket 85 having arms 86 on which the tone arm 3-3-is pivotally mounted; An outer sleeve 01 is rotatable and axially slidableon the bearing sleeve 83, and" rotatably carries a generally annular body member 88 the-latter'rigidly mounting an upstanding stud 89- theupper end ofwhichextends through the opening of and is slidable in a fork 90' secured tothe interior sleeve 84L The body member 88 while axially slidable is thus keyed to the sleeve 84 and bracket 85', and when the-bodymember is-turned it will swing the tonearm 33 with it.

As shown in Figs. I6 and-l7 the body member 88- has asecondupstanding stud 9 I- the upper end of which is engageable with a depending boss 92 on the-tone-arm 33, and accordingly when the body member-is raised or* lowered the tone-arm is correspondingly pivotally' raised or lowered.

For the purpose ofcontrolling thebody'member 88 'during a cycleof operations, a friction drive is provided between said member and the outersleeve 87, and the latter is cam-and-crankoperated simultaneously with the cams 52 and 61 of the spindle actuating mechanism.

Referring to Figs. 12', 13 and 17, the lower'end of the outer'sleeve 01' has rigidly'secured toit and: extending generally" laterally therefrom a cam arm- 93 having a longitudinal slot 94; the

1 0' said arm having base portions93a and 93b con nected with a flat annular orwasher-like an chorage portion 930 the latter portion surroundingthe sleeve 81- and carrying a friction Washer 95' which may be advantageously formed of cork. Thewasher 95is engageable with a friction plate 98 rigidly secured to the bottom of the body member 08. The cam arm 93' hasangularly ex:- tending portions 93d located intermediate tip portions 93c and the base portions 93m. and 93b, and the said tipand. base portions extend. normal tothe'axis of the sleeve 31*. The tip portions93e, angular'portions 93d and base portion 93b of the arm 93: are engageable with aconical surface 91 of acambutton which is slidable on the base plate 39; the button having a shank 98a passing through a cam slot or track 99 in the base plate for guidance. The. cam button 98 has. an upstanding pin or shank 981) which extends through the slot 94' in the cam arm 93 and is engageable with the inner edges of the arm portions 93a, 93b, 93d and 93e which define the slot.

Below the base plate 39 the shank 98a of the cam button 98 carries a collar 98c, and through the said collar and shank a connecting rod or link I00 passes, being rigidly secured by any suitable means such as a screw ml, the link I00 being driven by means to be described later- The shank 98a also passes through and is loosely received by an elongate eye 62a formed by-the end of the link rod 02' which is connected to the cam 52 of the spindle control mechanism, thereby providing a lost-motion driving connection between the cam 52 and button 98.

Referring to Figs. 12 and 13, the cam button 93' may be made to travel along the track 99 from a normal retracted position shown in full lines to an advanced mid-cycle position shown in Fig. 13 by a. dot-and-dash outline I03, such travel being effected by means of the link I00. Normally the cam arm 93 rests onthe base plate 39 as shown in Fig. 12; this being its position when not passing through a cycle. When the cam button 93 starts its advance it-engages the angular portions 93d of the camarm 93, thereby raising the latter and the outer sleeve 81. Shortly after the beginning of such raising movementthe friction disk engages the friction plate 96, and there.- after the body member 88 is lifted with the cam arm. This raising or lifting continues until the,

cam button 98 has traversed the straight portion of the track 99 and is engaging the portion 93b of the cam arm, as shown in Fig. 1'7, whereupon the cam arm and the body member 88 are fully raised; Fig. 16 illustrates the lowered position of the body member 00, and Fig. 17 the raised position, these figures also showing the lowered and raised pivotal positions ofthe tonearm 33-.

When the cam button 98 traverses'the arcuate portion of the track 99 it will swing thecam: arm 93- counterclockwise, as viewed in Figs. 13 and 14,

causing. the tone -arm 33 to swingoutw'ard or button 38 returns from the advanced position I03 to its retracted position it will swing the tonearm 33 inward and finally lower it again.-

According to the present invention, improved means are provided for controlling the extent of inward movement of the tone-arm 33, according to whether a 10 record or a 12" record is to be played, or the record changer is to be shut off. This means comprises a selecting stop in the form of a lever I06 which is pivotally mounted on the base plate 39, Figs. '7, l3 and 14, and comprises improved feeler means II carried by the body member 88, Figs. 12, 16 and 17, and further comprises a novel index plate I08, constituting a cooperable stop, carried by the body member 88, Figs. 13, 14 and 16, and connection means between said plate and member.

Referring to Fig. '7, the selecting stop lever I03 is roughly of triangular shape, pivoting about a pin I03 and being held close to the base 39 by a pin H0 carried by the base and occupying a slot I l I in the lever. A second slot I I2 is provided in the lever I06, one side of said slot being stepped and said slot receiving an upstandin finger II3 which passes through a. slot in the base plate 39 and is carried by the end of the shut-off slide I3, Fig. 19. lhe width of the finger I I3 extends longitudinally of the slot H2, and when the slide I3 is in the normal or between cycle position indicated by the full lines of Fig. 19, the finger H3 will occupy the wide portion of the slot I I2; when the slide I3 is in the advanced position indicated by the dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 19, the finger I I3 thereof will occupy the narrow portion of the slot H2. The sto lever I06 has an upturned stiffening flange II4 along one edge, terminating in an inturned finger II5 which is engageable with the index'plate I08, see Figs. 13 and 14.

Referring to Figs. 12, 16 and 17, the index plate I08 is shown as being formed of a flat metal strip having an apertured bearing portion I08a which is interposed between the friction plate 96 of the body member 88, the index plate bein rotatable with respect to the body member between close limits and being generally movable with the body member, and therefore, with the tone-arm 33.

As shown in Figs. 13 and 14, the index plate I08 has an arm portion I08b extending toward .the selecting stop lever I06, the said arm portion being bifurcated at its extremity and the two portions I080 and IBM formed thereby having downturned flanges as shown in Fig. 16, to provide stiffness.

Portions I080 and Wild of the index plate I08 are selectively engageable with the inturned finger II5 of the stop lever I06. For example, when the lever I06 is turned counterclockwise so that the finger II3 of the shut-01f slide I3 engages the widened portion of the slot II2 thereof, as indicated by the dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 13, the stop lever will be so positioned that the finger I I5 thereof may engage the side edge or toe of the portion I08d of the index plate I08 durin clockwise turning of the latter whereby the index plate will be stopped in the position indicated by the dot-and-dash lines.

Use is made of this engagement between the finger H5 and the toe of the portion I08d of the index plate to halt the tone-arm 33 in shut-off position, as will be later brought out. It will be noted that the finger II3 of the shut-01f slide I3 is in its leftmost position, as viewed in Fig. 3, corresponding with the full line position shown in Fig. 19, which position as has been previously stated, is the shut-01f position of the slide I3.

Also, when the stop lever I06 is shifted counterclockwise so that the finger II3 of the shut-off slide I3 engages the narrowed portion or" the slot H2 of the lever, as shown by the dot-and-dash outline, the finger H5 of the lever may engage the side of the portion I380 of the index plate I08 as the latter turns clockwise, halting the index plate in the position indicated by the dotand-dash outline.

Engagement of the lever finger II5 with the side of the portion I080 of the index plate I08, as indicated by the dot-and-dash outlines in Fig. 1, is utilized to halt the tone-arm 33 in initial position to start on a record carried by the turntable 32, regardless of whether the record is a 10 record or a 12" record. In accomplishing this, a selectively operable stop device is provided between the index plate I08 and the body member 88, said stop device bein under cOntrol of the feeler means I07.

Referring to Figs. l2, 15, 16 and 17, the feeler means I01 comprises a lever II6 extending substantially vertically upward from the body member 88, the said lever being in the form of a flat metal strip carried in a sheet metal casing II I secured at its lower end to the body member 88 by screws as shown. The lever H6 swings about a pivot II8 carried by the casing III, and has limited movement as determined by stops in the form of flanges II'Ia and N1?) of the casing. At its upper end the lever II6 has a generally V- shaped portion IIIia which projects from the casing Ill. The lever II8 extends downwardly through a slot in the body member 88 and at its lower end is shaped to provide an offset IIBb which extends through a slot I08e in the index plate I08 and through a slot in the friction plate 96, Figs. 12, 13, 14, 16 and 1'7.

Referring to Fig. 14, the offset lower end IIBb of the feeler lever II6 may occupy either of two edgewisely-shifted positions in the slot I03eof the index plate I08. These positions are indicated by broken lines, one being designated A and the other B, and the positions correspond respectively with the full line and broken line positions of the V-shaped top end portion of the feeler lever I I6. The slot I08e in the index plate I03 is much wider than the thickness of the end IIBb of the feeler lever, as shown, except at its mouth where the width of the slot is only slightly larger than the thickness of the lever end. Also, the slot I 0842 has one straight side, and normally the lever end IISb and the straight side of the slot I08e are held in engagement by an extension spring II8 connected between the index plate I08 and the friction plate 96, the latter being rigid with the body member 88.

Referring to Fig. 15, when the tone-arm 33 is in the shut-01f position shown, the feeler lever H6 is located beyond the edges of 10" and 12" records, indicated respectively by dot-and-dash lines designated C and D. In mid-cycle, when a record is being transferred from the spindle 33 to the turntable 32, the feeler lever H6 is located as shown by the broken lines in Fig. 15, in the path of descent of the edge portion of a 12" record, this being because the tone-arm 33 occupies a more counterclockwise position than that shown (such more counterclockwise position being determined by the pin I04 engaging the end of the slot I05).

Automatic determination of the different settings of the tone-arm 33 for 10" and 12" records is accomplished as follows: Considering Fig. 2, during a record-change cycle the lowermost recgamete 13 rd I'SfWilLwhile'being'supportedon the arms 31, be moved from the position shown to a lower'position, due to lowering of thearm-carrier 43 in following the camf 52'. Just prior to the" cam 52 completing its counterclockwise" movement, the 3'I willbe retracted'by' action of the cam 61, as already egplainedi Hbwever, the lowering" of the recoi'dlil while" it is thearms31' will move thejjedge portion of the record downward past the 'ed per'endor thejfeeler lever H6; While th s is qccurringflthe rapier lever will be" in the brokenlinejposition of Fig. 15} and if' the record 61" is:a1l2"f record; the upper end of the feeler lever l I liwillbe'engaged by the downwardly'moving' edge; portion or the" record and will be epressed'thereby; causing the lever to occupy the dotted'lihe'positio'n' of Fig i l '2'. This will result in then tfend IIIib'of the feeler' lever occupying thepos'itibn' Bf in Fig. 14; Afterthe'record 61 has been deposited on' the" turntable 32 and the tqna'arm' 33' starts to swing clockwise, the index plate I'D'Bwill swing clockwise also; because of its spring dofinection to the friction piste 96 and bbdyme'inbe1j88' (and engagement with theend I151): of the reei r lever)". The fingerII3of the shut ofi lever 13 will be shifted to the position 'sho'wn'i'ri Fig. 14' during the record change cycle, anasu sequenuy thestoplever I Illi'willbe swung counterclockwise (by normally inactive means to be disclosed later) whereupon it will be" halted bythe finger H3 in the dot-and-dash position shown, and will in turn halt the clockwise-movindex plate I 98- in the dotand-dash position shown; 'By virtue of the lever end-11Gb occupying' po'sition 13" the body'meinber 8'8 and tonearm 33 being" driven by the friction disk 95 and plate 96 will be permitted only very little more clockwise movement, until the lever end-is brought inteengagement with the sh'ort slot edge at the mouth of the slot l08'e', opposite the long straight slot edge, whereupon the body member and tonea'rm'} 33 w-i11 be halted. "I-his halted position is such that the tone-arm stylus is'e'xactly positioned to start onthe edge of a 12" record; and upon the cam button 98 terminating its.moverhent and'lowering the'member 88' and tone-arm 33", the stylus thereof will follow the playing grooves of the record:

If; however, the record 16' is a 10 record, its edge portion will not engage the feelerl'ever H6, and therefore the lower end I IBb thereof will remain in the position A of Fig. 14; Upon the index plate I08 being halted by the'stop lever I96 as indicated by the dot-anddash lines, the body member. 88 and tone-arm 33 driven by the friction disk 95 will be permitted a further predetermined clockwise movement, until thelever end I-I'Bb is brought; into engagement with the recessed' edge of the slot lfla e at the wide portion thereof. This of course stretches the spring II8 slightly; it halts the body member 88' and tonean 3 3 in a position, however, such that the tone-arm stylus is exactly initially positioned to start 6 the edge ere-1o" record. Upon the cam ten 98 completing its movement and lowering t ibody'rfienibef 88 and tone-arm 33 the" stylus will renew the playing grooves of the record. In each of the above' instances, upon cessation rning' movement of the cam arm 93 and erin'g" of the latter and body'mernb'er 88 and tcnaarar 33', the final movement of the cam Button 9'a win result in" its engaging a carnmin'g e" e I966 of the stop lever I06, and shifting the lever clcickwi'se to the normal position shown 7. Also} the" feeler lei'lle'r I f 6 is always 1'14, automatically returned to its normal extended position shown in Fig. 1- 2'upon' the body member 88, tone-arm 33 and feeler lever'I I6 being lowered at the termination of a cycle, by a reset finger II9, Figs; 12, l6 and 17, which is eng'ageablewith the upper surface of the fork 99 upon the lower ing of said parts, the upward} pressure on the fin-= ger II9 causing counterclockwise turning move ment of the lever H9, as viewed in Fig. 12.

H The movements of the spindle 36- andtone-arm 33 are properly correlated during automatic operation by the link I90, and from the foregoing description it will be understood that, with a stack of records, either 10 or 12" or both, sup ported on the spindle 36, if the cam button 98 is made to repeatedly pass through a cycle by traversing the length of the track- 99- from the position of Fig. 7 and returning to said position, the records will be deposited one by one on the turntable 32 and the tone-arm repeatedly placed on the peripheral edge portions of the records in readiness for playing these through. Also, upon the last record being deposited on the turntable, the next cycle will be automatically made a shut off cycle, and the tone-arm will be lowered in the shut-off position as shown in IE'ig. 15.

Inasmuch as the engagement between the feeler lever IIS and the 12" records takes place while the records, in being 1owered, are supported on thearms 31, the recordswill not be tilted by such engagement. When the arms 31 are dropped or released, the record carried thereby will have passed the feeler lever II'B' andwill therefore not be tilted out of the horizontal but will fall flat on the turntable. The organization of the feeler lever H6 is such, also, that relatively large variations in the diameters of 12" records may be satisfactorily handled withoutrendering the mechanism inoperative to discriminate between 10" and 12" records.

According to the present invention, novel and improved automatic and manual trip' mechanisms are provided, in conjunction with a novel cycle-drive mechanism whereby the spindle" 36 and tone-arm 33 may be activated and automati-,

cally controlled through driving of the cam button98.

To accomplish this, improved means are provided, powered from th turntable32, for automatically driving the cam button 98 through the said cycles, including manually operable means for starting the turntable turning and initiating a cycle, and including means for automatically shutting oiT the power to the turntable after completion ofiplaying of the last record of a stack and completion of the shut-off cycle attendant thereto. k

Accordingly, referring to Figs. 11, 12 and 1'7, the connecting rod or link I09 which is rigidly secured to the cam button 99 is connected to a drive crank I29 carried by a shaft I2I having a bearing in a tubular post I22 secured to and extending upwardly from the base plate 39. At its upper end the shaft I2I carries a drive wheel I23 having an interrupted rubber-tired periphery I24 for engagement with a cooperable knurled wheel or hub I25 secured to the turntable 32 and having a press-fitted anti-friction liner I29 which bears on the spindle support bushing M. When engagement occurs between the wheel periphery I24 and the hub I25 while the turntable 32 is turning, the wheel I23 will be driven and the crank I29 will reciprocate the cam button 98 in the track 99. p

To eifect such engagement, the wheel must be started from its normal at-rest position of Fig. '7 wherein the interrupted portion of the Wheel periphery I24 is at, and out of engagement with, the hub I25. To accomplish this, referring to Fig. 7, the drive wheel I23 is provided with a pair of apertures I27 in its face, to loosely receive control portions in the form of pins I28 mounted on opposite arms I29 of a segment or starter plate I30. The starter plate I30 has a curved or segment-shaped extension I3I covered by a rubber jacket, Figs. 8 and 11, the said extension and jacket being engageable with the knurled hub I25. The starter plate I39 is carried by a sleeve I32 which has a sliding friction fit with an inner sleeve I33, the latter being freely rotatable on the tubular post I22. The leading corner I3Ia of the starter plat ISO is slightly recessed or out back, as shown in Fig. 8, to provide an edge contour which generally conforms to the curvature of the knurled hub I25, thereby to enable the latter positively to drivingly engage and pick-up the starter plate when the plate is initially moved or advanced counterclockwise, Fig. 8, the plate thereafter continuing to advance in response to clockwise turning of the hub, until the segment portion I3I leaves or disengages the hub.

The advance of the starter plate I30 causes the pins I23 thereof to engage and drive the drive wheel I23, the latter thereby having its turning movement continued through a complete revolution by engagement of the periphery I24 with the knurled hub I of the turntable 32. Upon the drive wheel I23 turning through a complete revolution a complete cycle of operations of the record player spindle and tone-arm 33 is eifected, such cycle being either a record change cycle or a shut-off cycle as determined by the presence or absence of weight on the record support arms 37.

The starter plate I39 may be actuated either by manual or automatic means, the manual means being actuated when a stack of records is to be started, and the automatic means being actuated upon completion of playing of each record.

To accomplish this a novel mechanism is provided, including what is herein termed a velocity trip device, since the said device is responsive to the velocity of inward swinging movement of the tone-arm 33.

Referring to Figs. 9 and 11, an eccentric I34 is mounted on the knurled hub I25 to turn there with, th eccentric comprising a disk I35 carried by the press-fitted anti-friction liner I25 of the hub, the said liner having an end fiange I38 engaging the underside of the eccentric disk I35, Fig. 11, to retain the disk in place. Th flange I36 of the liner I23 has a notch for receiving a projection 13! on the eccentric disk I35 whereby the disk is keyed against relative movement with respect to the liner and the hub I25. The eccentric disk I35 also has a crescent shaped eccentric portion I33 extended downwardly therefrom, as shown in Fig. 11, the said portion extending into an aperture in an eccentric follower plate I39 which is slidably carried by the base plate 39 of the record changer. As clearly shown in Fig. 11 the eccentric portion I38 of the eccentric plate I35 occupies one part of the aperture in the eccentric follower plate I39, and the flange I35 of the anti-friction liner i523 occupies another part of the said aperture, said flange and eccentric portion providing an eccentric bearing for the aperture and being so arranged as to prevent lost motion from occurring. As will be noted, the support bushing 4I which passes through the 16 anti-friction liner I26 also extends through the aperture in the eccentric follower plate I39.

Referring to Figs. 9 and 11, the eccentric follower plate I39 has portions of different thickness and has a hook-like extension I390. having an arcuate shape. The extremity I39b of the hook-like extension is relatively thick as shown in Fig. 11, whereas the remainder I390 of the extension is comparatively thin. The body portion I39d of the eccentric follower plate is of the same thickness as the extension portion I390, and said body portion connects with a thicker portion I39e which bears on the eccentric I34. A clearance aperture I39f is provided in the follower plate I39 to enable it to clear the nut 42 on the support bushing M. The eccentric follower plate I39 also has an arcuate shaped raised portion I399 having abuttable end surfaces I39h and I392 which are adapted for engagement under certain circumstances with depending projections I28a on the pins I28 which are carried by the starter plate I39. As shown in Fig. 8 the eccentric follower plate I39 and arcuate raised portion I39g thereof extend under the starter plate I39, and the hook-like extension l39a of the eccentric follower plate extends past the crank shaft I2I which carries the drive wheel I23.

The eccentric follower plate I39 is held in either of two difierent zones of movement by an extension spring I49 secured to the extension I39a and to one end I4I of a manual trip link I42, the said end being bent at right angles to the link and extending through an arcuate shaped slot I43 in the base plate 39, Fig. 9. The other end I44 of the link I42 is also bent at an angle and extends through a second arcuate shaped slot I45 in the base plate 39, the said end I44 passing through an arcuate slot I46 in an arm I47 of a manual trip lever I48 which is rotatably mounted on the vertical bearing sleeve 83, Figs. 12 and 13, and slidably rests on the base plate 39. As shown in Fig. 12 the portion 93a of the cam arm 93 is raised above the base plate 39 to provide clearance for the lever I48.

Referring to Figs. 7 and 9 it will be seen that turning movement of the manual trip lever I48 is limited by the link end I44 and the slots I45 and I46; counterclockwise movement of the lever I48 to the position shown in Fig. 7 will cause the spring I49 and eccentric follower plate I39 to occupy the position shown in Figs. 7 and 9. Clockwise movement of the lever I48 will shift the spring I49 and eccentric follower plate I39 to the broken line position shown in Fig. 9.

Actuation of the manual trip lever I48 from the position shown in Fig. '7 in a clockwise direction is effected by means of a link I49 connected to the starting knob 35, the said link passing through slots I59 and I5I in the top panel 3I and base plate 39 respectively. The starting knob link I49 has an upturned end I52 extending through a second slot I53 in the base plate 39, the said end being engageable with an arm I54 of the manual trip lever I48. When the starting knob 35 is turned clockwise as viewed in Fig. 7 it shifts the link I49 downward causing the end I52 thereof to engage the lever arm I54 and turning the manual trip lever I48 clockwise. This shifts the trip link I42 and spring I49 to the right as viewed in Figs. 7 and 9 and causes the eccentric follower plate I39 to occupy a zone of movement as indicated in the broken lines in Fig. 9. With the turntable 32 continuously rotating, the eccentric I34 will be continugarage-e turning; therehy causihg'l the" follower late [39 th ciscillatei V r I when the ronowerj iate is in the broken line positioh' in Fig 9 the ehd' surface I39iof the arcuaterai'sed portion I399 of the follower plate will engage the adjacentpo'rtion I26a of the pin I28- and will nudge the pm to causev a slight with the thrht'ame' 1'32 and will ihit'iate:

lever- I46 has another arm I55, providedat its I extremity with a hook" I56 through which a wire spriiig I51 extends The spring I51 is herein.

term'e'da stop lever charge spring since it actuatesthe stop lever I06 to automatically shift the latter to its operative positions. To accomplish this, one end of the spring I! is pivotally anchored' in an aperture" I58 in the base plate39 and the other end passes through an aperture in an upturned finger I59 in the lever I06. With the parts in-the positions shown in Fig. '7 the manual triplever is not exerting pressure on the charging spring] 51. When the starting knob 35 is actuated clockwise from the off positionshown in Fig. 7,. causing the manual trip lever I48 to swing clockwise, the hook I56 of the latter will move away from the stop lever charging spring I51. As'the change cycle progresses the cam button-98'will travel along its track' 99 and upon reaching the extremity thereof will'engage' the arm I54 of the trip lever I48 and will move the trip lever counterclockwise past the position of'Fig. '7 bythear'nount allowed by the slot I46 in the lever. This will establish a pressure by the" lever, on the charging spring I51, causingthelat'terto swing the stop lever I06 in a coun terclockwise direction: to either of itsoperative positionsas determined by the position of the finger] I3 of the shut-off slide 13. Upon the cambutton 98" completing. its cycle, during which the stofilever I06 halts the tone-arm I 03 in its proper position-fofplaying a record or for shut-off, the cam biitto'n willengage the stoplever andreturnitt'o the position shown in Fig. 7 as already explained. All this is in response to' actuation ofthesta'r'tihg knob 35. If a stack of records is"ca'rr'i ed bythe' spindle 36 the lovvermost recor'd' will be dropped on the turntable and will beplayed through, presuming of course that the turntable 32 is turning by virtue of the electrically powered' drive DR (Fig. 7) for the-turn table being energized. Such energization is effected by a semi -automatic control device including a blade switch I60, Figs. 7, 16, 17 and18, the said switch having blades I6I and I62 which arenorffially'iri engagement with each other as showii' ih Fig. 17. When however the tone-arm 33' at rest in theshut-off position shown in- Figs'; "a'nd-16, the pin I04 carried by the body membeif88' of the tone-arm tow'erdepresses the switch blade I6I'and' separates it from the blade I 62. To cause engagement of '.the bladeswhen the"startingknob 'is actuated, the arm I4'I of the trip lever I48 is provided; with a camming portion I63, Figs. 7'and18, which'portion is engageable with an anti-friction ball I64 supported onthe uppe'r'end'ofaii insulating'stud I65 mounted on theswitehblade I62. Clockwise turning of; the manual triplever I'4'8'causes the switchbla'de I62 to be depressed'a'nd to engage the switch 18' blade IGI, thereby closing:the'circuitof?theniotef drive DR for the t ui'iitab'le arid'causing the turn: amaze-rotate. h m M Upoh the fre'ccrd c'hah' ger mechanism being started? by actuation of the Starting; k'xiob 35'; in; the' manner explained ahove, the lowermost recerd off a stack' will be dropped: oh the" turhtablefand'play'ed through. Upon this" occurring a record change cycle will be automatically" ih'stie tutedl as follews', by the velocity trip mechaifi'sm" alfe'ady mehtiorled, w en mechanismiricliides? the" eccentric I34 and eccentric fellowe'r plate}. I39. The velecity" trip me:chahism' alsc includes avelocityftripllever I66, Figs '7, 1'2-,-13and l4,- which r otejtably carried by the vertical bearingueeve 83'of -the tone-arm tower 34'. Referring to Fig. the velocity trip lever I 66 has a-shoulder IG'Ilwhi'c'hise'n'gag'eableby the pin I04'of the hcsdyfieifibee'aa when the latterand the tone arm 33air swuri'gfclockwi'saas thepinapproaches tlie'rigfl' t handf-e'rld of the slot" I05" in thebase pla'te39'. Thetriplever' I59 is connected to-one end of a cross link I68 the other'end of which car-Yiesfapi'ri. I69 'eiiteiidihg' through-an S-shap'ed sl'o'ftf I'10"ii i the base'lplate- 39 on the inner sleeve I33" cafried'byflthep'ost' I22 iii which' the crank shaft I2I jourh'als, Fig.' 11'. A'salready stated above, the ihner'sieeve I33 has aif-rictio nal slidirig" fit" with the" sleeve I32" which' carriesthe startei'fplate7i30 when the velocityti ip le 'v'er I 66"istiirriedYclockwisein response to' the toii'e arifi 33r'eachihgthe inside endofa-rejcord-r the veracity the cross link' I68; Fig. 7,.will be shifted-"to the" left aridthe pin I69 thereofiwi ll traverse" the groove IIllcausing counterclock-- wisewrnmgof the fork member I 12. Que to thefriction "existing'bet'ween the sleeves I- 32 Land I33 this" w n rzesmt' the starter plate I30 be-' ing 'iijr'ged in "a cciu'nterelo'ckwisedirection. If the movement of the cross link I68 and the" pin; is relatively slow, as" occursduring playing of a: record; themoverhent ofthe starter plate I30 will beslow and the'piri' I28 thereof'adjacent the end surface" I397i of the eccentric followerplate I39 will be'repeatedly' nudged b'y'thesai'dend surface so that the starter plate willnot be allowed-t0 turn 1 but, will" he held" substantially in" the positiorisliown ih Figs. 8and 9 regardlessofthe turning muvementot thefork m'emberITZ. If, however; the crossf'linli]I68and pin I69 should move'rajpidly to the left', as-would be-causedby the tone-armstyms'renewingeither theeccentric: or the large-pitch spiral groove at the inner endof a reco'rd",-a rapid' and relatively great rota tion of" the'fork member H2 in counterclockwise di'rectiori' would result',and this will cause the starterplate- I30 toh'ave a rapid and relatively' great movement, and cause the leading corner I3Ia of the plate to engagethe knurled wheel I25 whereby the plate will bepicked up and driven by the wheel. This occurs because the pin I28 adjacent the end surface I39his rapidly moved toa'n advanced position where the" corner I3I'a of the plate engages-the wheel I25 before the end surface I 39h in its'opposing move-' ment will have travelled suificiently to nudgeback and return the pin I28, as it normally doesduring the playing of a record. Therefore-since the starter plate I30 has now become enga ed with the knurled hub I25 a change cycle will-be"- initiated, the pin I28 of the starter plate now driving the end surface I39h out of the'way, and the latter yielding by virtue of the yield of the spring I40. The portion I28u of the pin I28- travels on the outside of the raised crescent por- 19 tion I39g of the eccentric follower plate I39 during the first part of the change cycle.

I have found that such rapid movement of the cross link I68 is readily caused by the inwardly directed portion of the eccentric groove at the inner end of a record, and therefore when a record has been played through a change cycle will automatically take place upon the stylus entering the said eccentric groove. Also a spiral groove of large pitch, such as is commonly found on many records, will impart such speed or velocity to the cross link I68 as to cause a change cycle to be initiated as described above. Upon such change cycle occurring, the next record of the stack will be deposited on the turntable 32 and the tone-arm will start playing this next record.

It should be noted that midway during the change cycle, the cam button 98 will engage a curved neck portion I13 of the velocity trip lever I66 and will return the lever and velocity trip cross link I68 to the normal position shown in Fig. 7.

By virtue of the above organization, each record of a stack will be played through consecutively and automatically once the starting knob 35 has been actuated, and upon the last record being played through, the tone-arm 33 will be deposited in the shut-oil? position and the pin I04 01' the body member 88 will assume the position shown in Figs. 7, 16 and 18 wherein it separates the switch blade I6I from the switch blade I62 and deenergizes the motive power for the turntable 32. Such separation is possible due to the fact that the manual trip lever I48, after the initial starting of the playing of a stack of records, is returned to the normal position of Fig. 7 wherein it does not depress the switch blade I62 through the ball I64 and stud I65. Also, after the starting knob 35 has been actuated it is returned during the first cycle of operations by virtue of the cam button 98 returning the manual trip lever I48 and velocity trip lever I66 to their normal positions of Fig. '1. Such return is indicated in Figs. 13 and 14 by the broken-line showing of the cam button 98.

If at any time while playing a stack of records it should be desired to halt the playing of a record on the turntable and start the playing of the next or succeeding record, this may be accomplished by initiating what I term a reject cycle, by actuating the starting knob 35. Such actuation shifts the eccentric follower I39 to the dotted position of Fig. 9, whereupon the surface I391 thereof drives the adjacent pin portion I28a so as to turn the starter plate I30 counterclockwise into engagement with the knurled wheel I25.

By the provision of the friction connection between the cam arm 93 and the tone-arm tower 88, the tone-arm 33 may be made to lift and swing out of the way prior to the spindle 36 being operated, thereby insuring that the space below the lowermost record is clear before the said record is dropped on the turntable 32, this being effected by providing for an arc of movement of the cam arm 93 which is greater than that needed to cause the tone-arm 33 to be halted by the stop I 4.

The velocity trip mechanism of this invention as described above cannot be damaged if, when the record changer is part way through a cycle, the turntable should be inadvertently turned, as might occur during servicing or adjustment for example. Moreover, the trip mechanism is operative for records having either eccentric or spiral grooves at the inner ends of the playing grooves, and does not require critical adjustment. The force required to swing the velocity trip lever I66, link I68, fork member I12 and starter plate I38 is relatively small, so that this may be readily accomplished by the pin I94 and tone-arm 33; thereby enabling the tone-arm to operate with extremely light needle pressure on a record, without rendering the record-change and shut-off mechanism inoperative.

The improved record changer mechanism as described above operates with a minimum of noise and wear, and is extremely trouble-free and reliable in operation.

A modified form of spindle for the record changer of this invention is shown in Fig. 20, wherein parts similar to those already described have been given the same characters as the previously mentioned parts. In this modified form of spindle the record support arms 31 may be either raised or lowered by a manually operable means, the said means being so arranged however that its inadvertent operation is extremely unlikely, especially when the spindle is supporting a stack of records, thereby preventing a stack from being dropped all at once on the turntable.

As shown, the arm control pin I14 for the arms 31 has secured to its upper end a finger piece I15 the ends of which extend through slots I16 in a tubular stem I11 and also extend through slots I18 in an outer sleeve I19. The sleeve I19 has an inturned flange at its top and is slidable on the reduced portion of the stem I11, and may be urged downwardly by a screw I86 seated in the flange of the sleeve and threaded into a collar I8! which is engaged by the compression spring 46.

The exposed ends of the finger piece I15 are knurled, and when the finger piece is grasped and moved downward the lower end of the arm control pin I14 will engage and raise the record support arms 31. If the finger piece I15 is raised the arm control pin I14 will disengage the arms 31 and allow them to drop. A friction collar 48a is frictionally carried by the pin I14 and has a clearance slot 481) for the finger piece I15, the collar extending upward past the piece I15 and engaging the threaded collar I8I to raise the collar and compress the spring46 when the arm carrier 43 is raised, thereby enabling the expansible rubber collar 38 to contract to its normal small diameter shape. To accomplish this action, the friction collar has four depending prongs 480 which frictionally grip the pin I14 and are engageable with the top of the arm carrier 43. Inwardly bent tabs I82 are provided on the sleeve I19 to align the slots I18 and I16 of the sleeve I19 and of the stem I11 respectively, and prevent binding of the finger piece I15.

Automatic actuation of the arm control pin I14 is effected by the push rod 64 as previously explained. In addition, the pin I14 may be actuated manually. However, when a stack of records is supported on the arms 31 the finger piece I15 will be enclosed by the records and not accessible for actuation, and therefore it will be impossible to inadvertently drop a stack of records on the turntable. Adjustment of the gap between the collar 38 and the extended arms 31 may be accomplished by forcing the sleeve I19 down and then turning the screw I89.

A modified form of cam operator for the spindle 36 of the record changer is shown in Figs. 21 through 25. In Fig. 21 the lower end of'the arm carrier 43 is shown, the said end being aci -70s bifurcated and mounting a roller I83 on-a shaft I84 which latter passes through a-slot I85 in a bracket I86 adapted for securement to the underside of the base plate I39. The shaft I84 also passes through a slot I81 in a lever I38 pivoting about a pin I89 carried by the bracket I86.

Referring to Fig. 25, the lever I88 which takes the place of the shut-off slide I3 previously described, and has an upstanding finger I90 with a narrow extremity portion ISI and a broader base portion I92 for engagement with the stop lever I06.

A lever I93 formed of wire extends through a notch" I93 in the arm carrier 43, and through a slot I95 in the bracket I86, the lever having a pivotal pin-and-slot connection with the bracket The crank shaft I2I carries a circular cam IQ! for engagement with the roller I83, and an idler roller I93 is mounted on the bracket I86 for engagement with the undersurface of the cam I91.

To actuate the shaft I34 and lever I93 the cam I9'Ihas an upturned tab I99 which carries a pair of tapered fingers 299 and 29 I.

When the arm carrier 43 is loaded with the weight of a record, the roller I83 will be maintained in engagement with the cam I91 as the latter turns, and the fingers 20B and ZilI will pass by the shaft I34 and lever I93 in the manner shown in Fig. 23. With the parts in the position of Fig. 23 the shaft I84 will be almost in fully lowered position, and the lever I88 almost in the dot-and-dash position of Fig. 25, and the finger 20E! Will force the shaft I84 the remainder of the distance downward and lock the finger I 90 of theshut-off lever I88 up so as to position the stop lever I06 for starting the tone-arm 33 on the next record. The arms 31 are tripped or lowered by the finger piece I and pin I74 (Fig. being held in a position wherein the finger piece res-ts on the bottoms of the slots I'IB while the arm carrier 43" being lowered and finally forced all the way down by the finger 290 engaging the shaft I84;

Whenthe arm carrier 43 is not loaded by a record, as is the case after the last record of a stack has been played, upon rotation of the cam I91 the arm carrier will not fully descend and maintain the roller in engagement with the cam but'instead will be held in a somewhat raised positi-on'by a balance spring 202 attached to the shut-ofi lever I88. If desired the spring 202 may be" omitted by weighting the finger-carrying end of the lever I88 to balance the arm carrier 43. Forthis condition, thetapered finger 20I will engage the lever I93 in the manner shown in Fig. 24, and the lever I93 will be raised or cammed upward thereby while the arm carrier 43 is prevented from being raised by the spring 46 (Fig. 20), thereby resulting in raising of the push rod 64 and causing the record support arms 31 of the spindle to be dropped.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. In an automatic record changer, a trip device for initiating a record change cycle after the playing through of a record, comprising an eccentric; means for rotating the eccentric; a follower reciprocably driven by the eccentric and having an abuttable interfering surface reciprocating between retracted and advanced positions at moderate speed; a wheel rotating'concurrently 22 withthe eccentric; and a rotatable segment engageable with the wheel to be driven thereby through part of a revolution; means fo-r moving said segment towards said wheel at differing rates with a yielding force, said segment having a control portion engageable with the interfering surface ofthe eccentric follower when the segment is moved toward the wheel and the interfering surface is advanced, to prevent movement of the segmentinto wheel engaging position-and said segment when slowly moved by the yielding force toward the wheel being repeatedly nudgedaway therefrom by said interfering surface during its advancing movement, the segment when rapidly moved by said yieldable force toward the wheel engaging the latter by virtue of said control portion more rapidly advancing toward the wheel than the moderate speed of advancement of the interfering surface of the eccentric follower, thereby enabling the wheel to pick up the segment between successive advancements of the interfering surf-ace and to drive the segment through part of a revolution.

2. In an automatic record changer, a trip 'de-. vice for initiating a record change cycle afterthe playing through of a record, comprising an eccentric; means for rotating the eccentric; a follower driven by the eccentric and having an abuttable surface traveling between retracted and advanced positions; a wheel rotatingconcurrently with the eccentric; a rotatable segment engageabl-e with the wheel to be driven thereby through part of a revolution, said segment having a control portion engageable with the abuttable surface of the eccentric follower when the segment is moved toward the wheel, and saidsegment when slowly moved bya yieldin-gforce toward the wheel being repeatedly nudged away therefrom by said abuttable surface, the segment when rapidly moved by saidyieldable force toward the wheel engaging the latter by virtue of said control portion by-passing the abuttable surface of the eccentric follower, thereby enablingthe wheel to pick up the segment and drive it through part of a revolution; meansfor automatically rapidly moving the segment by a yieldable force toward the wheel after arecord has been played through; and means under manual control, for driving the segment toward the wheel independently of said immediately preceding means;

3. In an automatic record changer, a trip device for initiating a record-change cycle, comprising an eccentric; means for rotating the eccentric; a follower driven by the eccentric with a uniform reciprocating motion and having. an abuttable driving surface reciprocating between retracted and advanced positions; a wheel rotating concurrently with the eccentric; a rotatable segment engageable with the wheel to be driven thereby through part of a revolution, said segment having a control portion engageable with the driving surface of the eccentric follower, said follower being normally positioned to maintain the reciprocating driving surface thereof out of engagement with the control portion of the segment during its advancing movement; and means including'a manually operable member for shifting the eccentric follower to another position wherein the driving surface thereof has a different locus of reciprocation in which it engages and drives the control portion ofthe segment during'the advancing movement of the surface to move the segment into engagement with said rotating wheel, thereby to enable the wheel-to pick up the 23 segment and drive it through part of a revolution.

4. In an automatic record changer, a trip device for initiating a playing cycle, comprising an eccentric; means for rotating the eccentric; a follower driven by the eccentric with a uniform reciprocating motion and having an abuttable driving surface reciprocating between retracted and advanced positions; a wheel; means for rotating the wheel concurrently with the eccentric; a rotatable segment engageable with the wheel to be driven thereby through part of a revolution, said segment having a control portion engageable with the driving surface of the eccentric follower, said follower being normally positioned to maintain the reciprocating driving surface thereof out of engagement with the control portion of the segment during its advancing movement; means including a manually operable member movable between on and off positions and a spring connected to the eccentric follower and operable by said member when moved to on position, for shifting the follower to another position wherein the driving surface thereof has a diflerent locus of reciprocation in which it engages and drives the control portion of the segment during the advancing movement of the surface to move the segment into engagement with said rotating wheel, thereby to enable the wheel to pick up the segment and drive it through part of a revolution; and means powered from said wheel for automatically shifting the manually operable member from on to off position after the wheel has picked up the said segment.

5. In an automatic record changer, a trip device for initiating a change cycle, comprising an eccentric; means for rotating the eccentric; a follower driven by the eccentric and having a pair of abuttable surfaces traveling between retracted and advanced positions, said follower being movable between normal and shifted positions; a wheel rotating concurrently with the eccentric; a rotatable segment engageable with the wheel to be driven thereby through part of a revolution, said segment having a pair of control portions engageable respectively with the abuttable surfaces of the eccentric follower, one control portion and one abuttable surface engaging each other when the segment is moved toward the wheel and the eccentric follower is in normal position, and said segment when slowly moved by a yielding force toward the wheel being repeatedly nudged away therefrom by the said one abuttable surface, the segment when rapidly moved by said yieldable force toward the wheel engaging the latter by virtue of said control portion more rapidly advancing toward the one abuttable surface of the eccentric follower, thereby enabling the wheel to pick up the segment and drive it through part of a revolution; and means including a manually operable member for shifting the eccentric follower from its normal position to a position wherein the other abuttable surface thereof engages and drives the other control portion of the segment, thereby to move the latter into engagement with the wheel to be driven thereby through part of a revolution.

6. In an automatic record changer, a trip device for initiating a change cycle, comprising an eccentric; means for rotating the eccentric; a follower driven by the eccentric and having a pair of abuttable surface traveling between retracted and advanced positions said follower being movable between normal and shifted positions; a wheel rotating concurrently with the eccentric; a rotatable segment engageable with v the wheel to be driven thereby through part of a revolution, said segment having a pair of control portions engageable respectively with the abuttable surfaces of the eccentric follower, one control portion and one abuttable surface engaging each other when the segment is moved toward the wheel and the eccentric follower is in normal position, and said segment when slowly moved by a yielding force toward the wheel being repeatedly nudged away therefrom by the said one abuttable surface, the segment when rapidly moved by said yieldable force toward the wheel engaging the latter by virtue of said control portion more rapidly advancing toward the one abuttable surface of the eccentric follower, thereby enabling the wheel to pick up the segment and drive it through part of a revolution; means including a manually operable member for shifting the eccentric follower from its normal position to a position wherein the other abuttable surface thereof engages and drives the other control portion of the segment, thereby to move the latter into engagement with the wheel so as to be driven thereby through part of a revolution; and means for automatically returning the eccentric follower from shifted to normal position after the segment has been driven by the wheel.

7. In an automatic record changer having a tone arm carrying a playing needle and designed to be moved in response to the feeding of the needle in a record groove, a trip device for initiating a record change cycle after the playing through of a record, comprising an eccentric; means for rotating the eccentric; a follower driven by the eccentric and having an abuttable surface traveling between retracted and advanced positions; a wheel rotating concurrently with the eccentric; a rotatable segment engageable with the wheel to be driven thereby through part of a revolution, said segment having a control portion engageable with the abuttable surface of the eccentric follower when the segment is moved toward the wheel, and said segment when slowly moved by a yielding force toward the wheel being repeatedly nudged away therefrom by said abuttable surface, the segment when rapidly moved by said yieldable force toward the wheel engaging the latter by virtue of said control portion by-passing the abuttable surface of the eccentric follower, thereby enabling the wheel to pick up the segment and drive it through part of a revolution; and means including a yielding connection for automatically moving said segment towards said wheel at speeds substantially proportional to the speeds at which the tone arm is moved.

GEORGE HAMLIN LEONARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,926,580 Clark Sept. 12, 1933 2,090,746 Compare Aug. 24, 1937 2,211,423 Hokanson Aug. 13, 1940 2,287,098 I-Iabegger June 23, 1942 2,295,092 OiTen Sept. 8, 1942 2,298,988 Todd Oct. 13, 1942 2,307,030 Erwood Jan. 5, 1943 2,323,472 Johnson et a1 July 6, 1943 2,330,293 Knox Sept. 23, 1943 2,376,741 Weaver May 22, 1945 

